More iPhone Firmware Rumblings, Notes

[johnnyjibbs]

Yeah, the whole SMS thing is artificially enforced. You can get unlimited YouTube videos, but tiny 100 char text messages are limited.

So, yeah, I have to assume AT&T won't be behind Apple allowing their subscribers to skip over them.

The text limit is a limitation of the original network, not some artificial limit that Apple has placed upon it. Originally, text messages were a bonus extra because someone had a bright idea about what to do with surplus data packets on the network. Or something.

But they probably didn't think that texting would be as popular as it is (particularly in the UK - I know Americans are generally less enthused with this method of mobile communication)

However, texting is still a massive revenue stream and I can't see it being by-passed. Thanks God (in some ways) that Apple hasn't gone down the MMS route, as that would potentially mean artificial limitations on sending photos in emails, etc.

 

[winterspan]

What do you guys think of this idea???

It would be just like the current iPhone but also with an iSight on the front. On the top right corner is like the album art flipper where you flip from the back camera to the front camera (no more fumbling to take a pic of yourself). The camera now takes pics and records videos as you can see on the bottom left and right and each is saved to its icon on the far left or right. Pics have all the current options plus the addition of posting to Flickr. Videos are saved in a video role with videos like the pics are now in photos. Videos can also be emailed, posted on .mac web gallery, or uploaded to YouTube. Pics and videos can also be done in landscape for widescreen.

Obviously they would also add an iChat AV app for this front iSight as well maybe only on WiFi now or 3G when that comes. So this is the draft of my implementation. You guys like?

It's not necessary at all to call it an "iSight" camera. This is actually standard practice in Europe and Asia, just not in America where our cell phone tech happens to be behind the times. It's common on high end multimedia phones to have a forward facing 0.3 megapixel secondary camera for video chat.
For some reason every time a device from Nokia, HTC, etc is converted over to the USA model , they fricken take out the video chat camera. Drives me nuts! I have a 3G/EVDO smartphone on verizon (well and a Touch)... I should be able to video conference with at least people on laptops and also other cellphone users with a capable phone. GOD ITS DRIVES ME CRAZY! Between the cellphone situation and broadband situation (or lack there of, especially cheap fiber service) in this country, I'm moving to Japan.

 

[EagerDragon]

I know what you mean about annoying ads. But some sites are entirely flash (such as this cool one for iPhone cases www.vajacases.com), You tube (the full version, not the one we have on iPhone) and many other sites using Flash to embed video/interviews/etc..

Let me see if I got this right,
These people put up a 100% flash site reference iPhone cases?
What were they smoking?
They figure that only people with a computer would visit their flash site when looking for cases for their non-flash device?
Do they have iPhone dedicated pages also using flash?

Sounds like sheer stupidity to me, but what do I know.

BTW I hardly if ever visit sites that use flash with my computer.

 

[bbplayer5]

Texts and AIM are completely different things. I dont know why Apple just cant comprehend that.

iChat on iphone needs to work on Edge and Wifi. Case closed.

 

[aross99]

SMS over Wi-Fi would be great - I send a good portion of my SMS messages from home. Seems like AT&T wouldn't like this very much though...

Maybe this will also give us iChat over Wi-Fi, which would be nice too...

 

[chr1s60]

SMS over Wi-Fi would be great - I send a good portion of my SMS messages from home. Seems like AT&T wouldn't like this very much though...

Maybe this will also give us iChat over Wi-Fi, which would be nice too...

If we get iChat it better not just be for WiFi.

 

[koko76]

Texts and AIM are completely different things. I dont know why Apple just cant comprehend that.

iChat on iphone needs to work on Edge and Wifi. Case closed.

As it stands in the US the ONLY differentiation in data plan prices comes from....drumroll.....SMS limits. Compared to every other type of data transmission, SMS's use the least data for the most money. Why on earth do you think that AT&T would want to cut out that potential profit margin?
Yes, arguably they are slightly different, but not different enough that people wouldn't choose one for the other especially if it cost them less money.

 

[TedB]

Texts and AIM are completely different things. I dont know why Apple just cant comprehend that.

iChat on iphone needs to work on Edge and Wifi. Case closed.

Case open.

On many AT&T phones (non WM) that have an AIM client, when you use it, it charges each IM you send out as a separate text message.

I highly doubt this is Apples fault, AT&T BUILT 200 text messages into each iPhone plan which included unlimited data. They also allow you to upgrade the plan to increase amount of texts you have for a price. There would be no reason for AT&T to put the text messages in if there was a AIM client that just used the unlimited data.

Apple, you are found not guilty...

Come on people.... AT&T wants money too....

Case closed.

 

[jonny]

Let me see if I got this right,
These people put up a 100% flash site reference iPhone cases?
What were they smoking?
They figure that only people with a computer would visit their flash site when looking for cases for their non-flash device?
Do they have iPhone dedicated pages also using flash?

Sounds like sheer stupidity to me, but what do I know.

BTW I hardly if ever visit sites that use flash with my computer.

Oh my Lord. I completely agree with you. My favourite button EVER, is the "Non-Flash Version" or "HTML Version" on any website. I mean flash has its place somewhere, but it's not going to make or break iPhone. I mean... it might crash it...

The only use I could see for flash on iphone is to perform simple tasks such as xml audio/mp3 players. I think it's in the best interests of certain rich media sites, to maybe take into consideration designing for iPhone... but this is besides the point.

I will be happy the day Flash becomes obsolete for a newer, better, more standard platform.

 

[Santa Rosa]

i spent over an 2 hrs on the phone with them today over it and they wouldn't acknowledge the problem, but said they would replace the phone for free b/c it's a known issue and it's still under warranty.

yet there is no epidemic of drop calls...


lol, i don't think the guy i spoke with was very sharp, nonetheless.

Never noticed my iPhone dropping a call, possibly the best phone I have ever used and have had many. Also have tested it lots in all different situations and seems perfect.

1.2.0 is going to be the next update I reckon, few bug fixes, SDK support and maybe a few new minor features, reckon you will be able to get the programs from the phone like installer.app and there wont be much else.

 

[stark2051]

I think it would be killer for the SMS over WiFi to happen. Maybe for iPod Touch users they could link it to their cell numbers, that way they'll have an ID when they send messages, and they'll be paying for it. I realize that is probably a lot harder than it sounds, but it sounds cool.

Oh, and why not MMS? I can't believe that a $400 and up phone cant do this, when I used to have a $30 Sony that could. Honestly, Im blown away that people haven't flipped out about this.

**This may sound pretentious, but I swear I'm not**

This weekend I'm going out of town for a few days. I know that I am going to stop by at a certain gallery to buy some art for my apartment. My girlfriend says, "hey take a picture and send it to me first, just to make sure I don't hate it.." Now I think to myself...good thing I have this super cool Samsung slider phone (that lacks all the cool factor and sweet tricks of the iPhone), because I can do that.

I realize it's one instance, but I know some people who use MMS a lot. It's just odd, why leave such a simple/gimmicky feature off the phone? My only guess is that most people have to pay every time they send a picture, but with iPhone's unlimited data, ATT wouldn't be able to pull in extra revenue from it? SEE, that even sounds ridiculous when I type it!! There isn't a good reason for leaving MMS off the iPhone.

Just my thoughts.

 

[koko76]

I realize it's one instance, but I know some people who use MMS a lot. It's just odd, why leave such a simple/gimmicky feature off the phone? My only guess is that most people have to pay every time they send a picture, but with iPhone's unlimited data, ATT wouldn't be able to pull in extra revenue from it? SEE, that even sounds ridiculous when I type it!! There isn't a good reason for leaving MMS off the iPhone.

Just my thoughts.

Well, if the other party you're sending to also has an Iphone (or a computer, or a phone that can receive email and view picture attachments) there's a great reason. Why pay for each MMS when you can send an email? It's what you get used to. I'd never pay per MMS, but I have no problem attaching a picture to an email. Personally I think it's a good compromise, SMS is great for quick communication that the user doesn't have to check, just pops up on the phone, and works with pretty much everyone else out there. For picture, and for more detailed communication without actually talking to someone you have email.

 

[twoodcc]

i doubt all of that is true, but hopefully at least some of it. can't wait til the date though

 

[MikeDTyke]

I think you are right but only for dot releases. I guarantee you that when they announce iPhone 2.0 with firmware 2.0 it will cost money for iPhone customers and the dot releases will continue to be free. Just like with OS X. And I know there will be a LOT of complaining because of that very issue with the subscriber revenue, but you wait and see!

I don't agree with you. But it's more down to the timing of things.

Apple is committed to update the iPhone for at least 2 years after release. That's their argument for taking a chunk of the networks revenue and why they account for the sale in their books over 24 months.

Now do they stop providing free upgrades at the end of 24 months? We don't know if they stop getting their network kick back at this point, so no, we don't know.

We do know that iPhone 2.0 will appear this year, probably May-June timeframe. I posit that this will be a hardware tweak of what we have currently, ie. 3g, higher megapixel camera, but essentially same shell same capabilities. So i say when it comes out, you're still in the 24 month timeframe, you get the upgrade for nothing extra. After that i doubt apple will try and keep the OS X for iphone updates compatible with the older generation. It's just too much work. At the 2 year mark it'll be the next gen iphone, possibly running an intel silverthorne processor, likely radically different on the inside. Just like with iPods, you don't get all the new features on the old generation even though its just a software upgrade.

As to bringing iPhone to the masses, which Apple will do, i'm thinking an iPhone Nano either May-June along with its big 2.0 brother, or more likely in the run up to Christmas, to really thrash the 10M iPhone target they've set themselves for 2008. Nano will be smaller capacity and likely not have the full web capabilities of iPhone. ie. 4Gig, smaller multitouch screen, possible hardware keyboard, no Safari, no widgets, (phone, email, txt, music & video) $149-$199

M.

 

[TedB]

Check out my implementation of it in my post on the first page of this thread

I do like your ideas, it seems simple and I am surprised applge has got given us extra camera support and video thus far.

There are a few more options on top of your idea that I would like to add. For one, let people send out more then one picture in an email at a time.

And secondly, my dad has an AT&T tilt, nice phone for what he is using it with, but it has one of the best camera options that I have ever seen on a phone. Watch this video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFX5rtPTTmg , from the beginning up until about 1:40. What the camera is able to do is take a large panoramic pictures by allowing you to take a picture, then slide and fade it to the left, so you can line it up for the second picture, then that fades and slides to the left, and that allows you to line up the third shot. This gives you a pretty cool panoramic picture in the convenience of a cell phone.

 

[EagerDragon]

Rambling
I know some of you wont agree, but like you I can speak my mind.

IMHO there is really no need for flash. If you got good content people will come. They do not need to see the selling item flying around the screen.

Flash like JavaScript and other client side executing code are a security risk.

A lot of these cracking on the iPhone depend on a security hole, a security hole that can be used by a hacker also. Besides why you trust someone that uses a security hole to give you functionality they wrote? Why do you trust them.

I hope and you will likely disagree, that Apple locks the baby so tight that you can't push a pin up the iPhone A**.

The SDK is coming in a matter of days, the applications will be sold via iTunes and Apple will be looking at the code. I have a Treo and a lot of people I know have Berries, we all pay 6 to 40 dollars for software we like. If Apple sells software whith in that range, it would not be a rip-off and a lot of people will buy them. Yes, no likely to get apps for free, but I believe in you get what you pay for. That is why a lot of us are using Macs and not PEE CEEEs.

I hope they lock the baby tight. If you like your phone to be insecured that is fine. I like mine secured.

 

[MacFly123]

I don't agree with you. But it's more down to the timing of things.

Apple is committed to update the iPhone for at least 2 years after release. That's their argument for taking a chunk of the networks revenue and why they account for the sale in their books over 24 months.

Now do they stop providing free upgrades at the end of 24 months? We don't know if they stop getting their network kick back at this point, so no, we don't know.

We do know that iPhone 2.0 will appear this year, probably May-June timeframe. I posit that this will be a hardware tweak of what we have currently, ie. 3g, higher megapixel camera, but essentially same shell same capabilities. So i say when it comes out, you're still in the 24 month timeframe, you get the upgrade for nothing extra. After that i doubt apple will try and keep the OS X for iphone updates compatible with the older generation. It's just too much work. At the 2 year mark it'll be the next gen iphone, possibly running an intel silverthorne processor, likely radically different on the inside. Just like with iPods, you don't get all the new features on the old generation even though its just a software upgrade.

As to bringing iPhone to the masses, which Apple will do, i'm thinking an iPhone Nano either May-June along with its big 2.0 brother, or more likely in the run up to Christmas, to really thrash the 10M iPhone target they've set themselves for 2008. Nano will be smaller capacity and likely not have the full web capabilities of iPhone. ie. 4Gig, smaller multitouch screen, possible hardware keyboard, no Safari, no widgets, (phone, email, txt, music & video) $149-$199

M.

Well it is all just speculation, but I think Apple could easily come out with the full version 2.0 firmware update and say that it is not free because the revenue sharing allows them to update the software but not full new versions with significant new features and apps like an OS update from Tiger to Leopard.

I hope you are wrong about the 3G iPhone just being a tweak. Not that the hardware will change significantly but the hardware is not meant to be updated as much as their other products. It is meant to be updated with firmware. I can see them only updating it about once a year except maybe with little tweaks like the recent memory upgrade.

I would LOVE an iPhone Nano too, but where did all the rumors go??? Wouldn't we have heard something by now? I'm not sure about your Nano spec predictions though. I think this pic would be a good idea. I'm not sure about the apps they have chosen, but I think that could be really close. I would be ALL OVER THAT if I were a teen especially since there would be no need for a data plan with it. I really don't think it would have a physical keyboard like you are suggesting. I think that goes against all the logic of the iPhone, so I would see it being like this pic. However if it is a little smaller Apple really better implement global landscape keyboard already for crying out loud.

And in considering all this and all their current products running OS X, I REALLY hope they have beefed up the OS X development team with more engineers since Leopard!

 

[i.maverick]

am I the only one happy without flash I can see the browsing experience being extremely bad with flash and all for what? Rollover that we can't use? Flashs days are numbered except for commercial sites for films and cars. I like browsing almost ad free.

rite on... flash so sucks that i almost always want to switch it off nw!!
i cont think i really want it even as an option on the iphone.
but maybe for other people.. whatever turns 'em on!

 

[i.maverick]

Like all I hope they drop flash into the update, I imagine they will drop a switch to turn it off in the safari settings. I find it highly annoying not being able to open all websites on my iPhone. Can't see them dropping much more bluetooth functionality in though....

are you kidding... this has been one of the worst implementations of bluetooth ever. ever
can't send or receive files, can't sync (im not talking about songs and videos and stuff but atleast the info) and obviously i xpected, as did many others A2DP. even if not this, the other two are a must.
it is actually feels stupid to tell a friend that the picture you just took can only be emailed to him.
blah!

 

[i.maverick]

Well, if the other party you're sending to also has an Iphone (or a computer, or a phone that can receive email and view picture attachments) there's a great reason. Why pay for each MMS when you can send an email? It's what you get used to. I'd never pay per MMS, but I have no problem attaching a picture to an email. Personally I think it's a good compromise, SMS is great for quick communication that the user doesn't have to check, just pops up on the phone, and works with pretty much everyone else out there. For picture, and for more detailed communication without actually talking to someone you have email.

now that is pretentious!

 

[ayale99]

But they probably didn't think that texting would be as popular as it is (particularly in the UK - I know Americans are generally less enthused with this method of mobile communication)

Not so fast. Ask any American female between between the ages of 13-30 how much texting they do. Hell, my gf will have 20min texting conversations with her friends. It's really becoming and epidemic.

 

[Bad Ash]

Well, if the other party you're sending to also has an Iphone (or a computer, or a phone that can receive email and view picture attachments) there's a great reason. Why pay for each MMS when you can send an email? It's what you get used to. I'd never pay per MMS, but I have no problem attaching a picture to an email. Personally I think it's a good compromise, SMS is great for quick communication that the user doesn't have to check, just pops up on the phone, and works with pretty much everyone else out there. For picture, and for more detailed communication without actually talking to someone you have email.

Coming from using windows mobile (at least WM on the Sprint network) for the past few years I agree with you. I'm just used to emailing pictures to phones or email addresses. ALTHOUGH... it would be nice to get MMS back. Can only hope.

 

[pgr3master]

its got to be fake

it must be a fake because the ipod touch/iphone can already open .docx files!

 

[EagerDragon]

Well it is all just speculation, but I think Apple could easily come out with the full version 2.0 firmware update and say that it is not free because the revenue sharing allows them to update the software but not full new versions with significant new features and apps like an OS update from Tiger to Leopard.

I hope you are wrong about the 3G iPhone just being a tweak. Not that the hardware will change significantly but the hardware is not meant to be updated as much as their other products. It is meant to be updated with firmware. I can see them only updating it about once a year except maybe with little tweaks like the recent memory upgrade.

I would LOVE an iPhone Nano too, but where did all the rumors go??? Wouldn't we have heard something by now? I'm not sure about your Nano spec predictions though. I think this pic would be a good idea. I'm not sure about the apps they have chosen, but I think that could be really close. I would be ALL OVER THAT if I were a teen especially since there would be no need for a data plan with it. I really don't think it would have a physical keyboard like you are suggesting. I think that goes against all the logic of the iPhone, so I would see it being like this pic. However if it is a little smaller Apple really better implement global landscape keyboard already for crying out loud.

And in considering all this and all their current products running OS X, I REALLY hope they have beefed up the OS X development team with more engineers since Leopard!

I would rather have an iPhone Macro instead of a nano. Current size is nice, but larger means more real state for the screen and more gestures possible as more fingers can fit.

Not sure I would like it to be any smaller, besides I want my 3G, my GPS, and a camera to do video iChat.
Nice to dream the dream, even if it never comes true.

 

[MacFly123]

I would rather have an iPhone Macro instead of a nano. Current size is nice, but larger means more real state for the screen and more gestures possible as more fingers can fit.

Not sure I would like it to be any smaller, besides I want my 3G, my GPS, and a camera to do video iChat.
Nice to dream the dream, even if it never comes true.

Well that won't come true. Not as a phone at least. What you are describing is the next gen Newton. NOBODY wants their phone, even a smart phone, to be any bigger than the iPhone. Might as well hold the Zack Morris brick cell phone up to your head again lol. But it would be cool to have a bigger tablet like Newton like you are describing yes. And maybe it even can make calls and all that but Apple would not market it as a phone. Now you may not want an iPhone Nano because of your computing desires, but that is a HUGE market that Apple will definitely target soon. Not everyone can afford a smart phone, and that pic that I posted of the iPhone Nano would be PERFECT for teens and all those that just want a normal phone that also happens to be easy to use, really cool, AND an iPod.